Online cognitive flexibility trainer

Stroop test: ink color or the word itself, check the question

Also known as: Stroop test with switching, Stroop with two rules, color or word

You see a color word printed in colored ink, usually not the color the word names. Above it is a question: COLOR means pick the ink color, WORD means pick what the word says. The question changes without warning, and each round lasts one minute. You can play 10 minutes a day without signing up. Your result is free once you enter your email: we show it to you and send it to your inbox.

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1 minuteper round
2 questionscolor or word
No sign-up10 minutes a day
Progress30-day chart

What it trains

What Stroop with switching trains

The classic Stroop test has one rule: name the ink color and ignore the word. Here there are two rules, and before every answer you have to check which one applies. The task works your switching and your ability not to answer on autopilot.

Your score is the number of correct answers in one minute, and the results also show your mistakes. Sign up and every round is saved, with a 30-day chart of your results in your account.

The regular Stroop test feels easyYou want something harder
You answer on autopilotThe rule changed, but your hand clicks the old way
Switching between tasks is hardYou need time to refocus after a change
You want a one-minute warm-upA short round that needs your full attention

Switching

Check which rule applies every single time.

Inhibition

Don’t automatically repeat what worked last time.

Focus

One minute with no breaks, where every answer counts.

Speed

The faster your correct answers, the higher your score.

Rules

How to play

Start
Press “Start”. The one-minute timer begins right away.
Read the question
Above the word it says COLOR or WORD. That is the rule for this answer.
COLOR
Pick the button with the name of the ink color the letters are printed in.
WORD
Pick the button with the color the word itself names. The button labels are colored too, so read the name, not the ink.
Score
A correct answer shows the next word right away; after a mistake there is a short pause. Your score is the number of correct answers.

Play online

Stroop test with switching online

Press “Start”, read the question above the word and pick either the ink color or the word itself.

Stroop: Color or Word

A color word appears in colored ink. The question above it changes: sometimes you need the ink color, sometimes the word itself. Read the question before every answer.

Free play left today without signing up: 10 min

Method

What the exercise is based on

In 1935, psychologist John Ridley Stroop described the effect: naming the ink color is harder when the word names a different color. This version adds a second rule to the classic task, naming the word itself, and the rules alternate at random. Tasks with a changing rule like this are used in psychology to study attention switching.

The classic one-rule version is the Stroop Test. Another rule-switching task is the Task Switcher, where the frame color tells you how to answer.

1 minOne roundThe clock starts as soon as you press Start.

8Colors in the gameFour answer options on the screen.

50/50Color or wordThe question is picked at random before each word.

Who it’s for

Which ages

Adults

A dense one-minute warm-up for days when you switch between tasks a lot.

Kids

Not in the “Kids” collection: two rules and fast changes. Kids are better off starting with the regular Stroop Test.

60+

Not in the “60+” collection: the rule changes often and without warning. The collection includes the regular one-rule Stroop Test.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How is it different from the regular Stroop test?

In the regular test you always pick the ink color. Here the question above the word changes: sometimes you need the ink color, sometimes the word itself.

How do I know what to pick?

Look at the question above the word. COLOR is the color the letters are printed in. WORD is the color the word names.

How often does the rule change?

At random, before every word. The same rule may repeat several times in a row or change right away.

What happens if I make a mistake?

You don’t lose points, but there is a short pause after a mistake, so you have less time left for answers.

Do I need to sign up?

No, you can play 10 minutes a day right away. A free account lets you keep playing, save your results, track your progress and unlock the daily workout.

Save your results and track your progress

Free sign-up: round history, a chart by skill and a daily workout of 5 exercises. No credit card needed.

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Stroop test: ink color or the word itself, check the question